Diamond Dirt: Beckley Garden would beautify Main Street

Just about everything to do with Mark Twain is recognized. The Unsinkable Molly Brown's House is now a Museum.It's time for Jake Beckley's history and name to stand out amongst the rest.

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By DOMINIC GENETTIdominic.genetti@courierpost.com@DominicGenetti#JakeBeckleyMemorial

Hannibal Courier - Post - Hannibal, MO

By DOMINIC GENETTIdominic.genetti@courierpost.com@DominicGenetti#JakeBeckleyMemorial

Posted Oct. 11, 2012 at 9:41 AM
Updated Oct 11, 2012 at 10:15 AM

By DOMINIC GENETTIdominic.genetti@courierpost.com@DominicGenetti#JakeBeckleyMemorial

Posted Oct. 11, 2012 at 9:41 AM
Updated Oct 11, 2012 at 10:15 AM

In Fargo, North Dakota at a city park along a walkway for those taking in a beautiful day, exercising or just out and about is a garden dedicated to the town's most well-known native; Roger Maris.

About a seven-foot, artistic concrete wall stands at the end of a patio for passers by to approach, view a three and a half foot tall photo of Maris, a list of his 61 home runs and career statistics and a map pointing out other Maris sites throughout Fargo — his grave site, museum, etc.

Surrounding the site is a beautiful flower garden with marigolds, salvias, begonias and more.

This is a great template for developers at the Jake Beckley Memorial Site in Hannibal.

When the downtown sidewalk project moves past that site and the green light glows for Hannibal Parks and Rec to move in and start revamping the site, this appears to be a significant salute, a gorgeous addition to historic Main Street, and most of all, cost effective.

Andy Dorian and his Parks and Rec staff only have $30,000 to take a small site dedicated to a Hannibal legend and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and make it noticeable. This should be doable within the budget.

And if there's anything left over, a row of six ballpark seats for people to sit in should also be considered. After all, this shouldn't just be a standard memorial, it should have a ballpark feel to it to.

Those would be great seats to sit in during the off-season when baseball is sorely missed.

This could be quite the clone to the Maris garden.

Beckley's could also include a large photo, a biography, career numbers and a map. A tourist map on the wall could guide visitors to Riverside Cemetery where Beckley is buried and additional information could include the other famous folks buried there. Plus if the old memorial is moved to Stowell Elementary, where Beckley's house once stood, that should also be included.

We have so much dedicated in Hannibal to our past.

Just about everything to do with Mark Twain is recognized. The Unsinkable Molly Brown's House is now a Museum.

It's time for Jake Beckley's history and name to stand out amongst the rest.

Follow on Twitter: @DominicGenetti #JakeBeckleyMemorial

By DOMINIC GENETTIdominic.genetti@courierpost.com@DominicGenetti#JakeBeckleyMemorial

Hannibal Courier - Post - Hannibal, MO

By DOMINIC GENETTIdominic.genetti@courierpost.com@DominicGenetti#JakeBeckleyMemorial